The Virginia public school system (prekindergarten-grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards members and superintendents. Virginia has 134 school divisions.

The Virginia state constitution requires that the state legislature "provide for a system of free public elementary and secondary schools for all children of school age throughout the Commonwealth, and shall seek to ensure that an educational program of high quality is established and continually maintained."[1]

School revenues, expenditures and budget

For the 2008-2010 biennium, the total state budget is $74.8 billion, education accounts for 39.4%, $29.5 billion, of the total budget.[2] According to 2009 revenue forecasts the state of Virginia is expected to reach a $2.9 billion revenue shortfall for 2009-2010.[3] This is an increase of nearly $400 million from similar projections back in October of 2008, and $100 million more than projections from two weeks prior to the Governor's December 17th 2008 Revenue Projection.[4]Governor Tim Kaine reports that this revenue shortfall will be the result of adjustments of $138.6 million for the fiscal year 2009, and $229.6 million for 2010.

In September 2009 the governor announced that he plans to eliminate 929 jobs (593 through layoffs) and close three correctional facilities. Additionally Gov. Kaine plans to cut 15% in aid to colleges and universities. The budget cuts come in light of a current $1.5 billion budget shortfall. Cuts to K-12 education have been limited, according to state officials, and will not suffer the brunt of the cuts.[5]

The cost per pupil is $10,659, ranking 17th highest the nation according the Census Bureau 2007-2008 report.[6]

Personnel salaries

The average classroom teacher salary for FY 2009 is $51,902, a 2.75% increase compared to FY 2008. The average principal salary for FY 2009 is $92,174, a 3.56% increase compared to FY 2008.[7]

Virginia is expected to collect $249.5 million from the Educations Jobs Fund, to fund teach salaries.[8]

In 2010 school districts agreed to lower contributions to teacher pensions from 16.5 percent of each teacher’s salary to 8.93 percent in 2011 and then 10.16 percent in 2012.[16] For Fairfax County, Virginia this means a decrease of $85 million in contributions.[16] Some schools have expressed concerns about how this will impact pensions in the long run.[16]

Role of school boards

The State Board of Education consists of nine members, all of which are appointed by the governor. All appointed members are confirmed by the Virginia General Assembly. Board members serve a term of four years and are limited to two consecutive terms. The state school board is responsible for establishing curriculum standards, high school graduation requirements, testing and assessment programs, teacher qualifications, rules and regulations for administration of state programs and standards for teacher accreditation. Additionally, the school board is responsible for implementing the No Child Left Behind Act.[19]

Reports

A 2009 study, Leaders and Laggards, conducted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for a Competitive Workplace, Frederick M. Hess of the conservative American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, and the Center for American Progress, gave Virginia: "B" in academic achievement; "D" in truth in advertising about student proficiency; "B" in rigor of standards; "A" in post-secondary and workforce readiness; "A" in for its teacher workforce policies; "C" in data quality.[22]

Audits

In 2009 Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Jack Dale announced that the district had seen impressive gains in test scores among special education and limited English proficiency students. However, a closer look at district statistics revealed that although the districts number of special education and limited English students moving forward, the superintendent's statistics revealed a higher number of administered tests. Additional discrepancies arose when regarding 2009's mandated English test scores.[23]

Academic performance

The chart below details the number of schools that made and did not make the (Adequate Yearly Progress) AYP for school years 2008-2009. AYP is used by the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) program to determine the academic performance of schools. In the 2008-2009 school year Virginia had a total of 1,853 schools, of which 71% met AYP requirements and 28% did not meet AYP requirements.[24]

State Budget Solutions’ examined national trends in education from 2009-2011, including state-by-state analysis of education spending, graduation rates, and average ACT scores. The study shows that states that spend the most do not have the highest average ACT test scores, nor do they have the highest average graduation rates. A summary of the study is available here. Download the full report here: Throwing Money At Education Isn’t Working.

School choice

School choice options include:

Charter schools: the state of Virginia has a total of three public charter schools. A fourth charter school is scheduled to open in July 2010.[34] Charter school legislation was first enacted in the state in 1999 and was later amended in 2002 and 2004.[35]

Public school open enrollment: Virginia does not support private school choice and does not have an open enrollment policy.[36]